


Knights of The Hargreeves Castle

by JahStorybook



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Corpse Disposal, Gen, Get This Guy Some Therapy, Hargreeves Children All Need Hugs, Hurt Klaus Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves' Questionable Past, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Protective Number Five | The Boy, We're going by my rules and I say ghosts can attack other ghosts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:28:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26058739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JahStorybook/pseuds/JahStorybook
Summary: “Diego, get Mom,” Allison cried, holding Klaus as though he were dying. Five jumped next to them just to be sure he wasn’t. Klaus was pushing everyone’s hands away, squirming as if trying to get free.“Where did it get him,” he asked wildly, knocking his hands away and shoving Allison’s black cardigan off his shoulders. Blood was soaking into his Orange Beach shirt, spreading across his chest alarminglyPrevious summary read as: An ex boyfriend comes to the house to confront Klaus and things get ugly. Five protective siblings (and Ben) are there thankfully.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Number Five | The Boy & Klaus Hargreeves
Comments: 12
Kudos: 501





	1. Chapter 1

The woods were quiet. Luther, Diego, Five, and Vanya all stood over a body, faces mirrored for the most part in disgust and rage. Luther’s hands were covered in dirt, and pine needles stuck to Diego’s pants below his knees. They’d been digging for about an hour.

“Rot in hell,” Vanya muttered, spitting on the bloody mess they’d created. Five and Diego spit in agreement, and unbeknownst to them Ben spit as well.

Luther crouched down and dragged the body by the feet into their quickly dug hole, Diego already pouring the fuel for the fire. Five stood back and watched in satisfaction as the first few flames caught and spread. 

~That morning~

“Klaus, where is my cardigan?” Five stepped back from the hallway, not even having to look up to know his idiot brother was about to barrel into him. Klaus ran by, laughing hysterically as Allison chased after him. She was smiling as she stopped, leaning against the wall.

“Hey, slow it down!” Diego came around the corner Klaus had disappeared to with a towel around his shoulders, shaking his head. “What’s up with him?”

“He stole my,” Allison panted, taking a moment before continuing, “favorite cardigan.”

“Buy a new one,” Five said, voice somewhat questioning as well as condescending, as if the answer was obvious. She glared at him, clearly not falling for his morning grumpiness, as everyone else put it.

“Why does he have no clothes of his own? It’s like all he owns are one pair of leather pants and a fur coat.” Five had noticed that as well, but he wasn’t going to comment on it.

“He’s spent a lot of his time in rehab centers,” Diego explained. “I don’t think he even has a permanent residence to keep a second outfit.”

“Well he does now,” Allison pointed out, gesturing to the walls around them. “I mean, he’s staying here now, maybe we ought to take him out and get him some clothes.”

“Have fun with that,” Five said, already escaping before he could be roped into whatever scheme she was cooking up. 

He was surprised to find Klaus lounging downstairs near the bar. Well, he was surprised to see him so relaxed, anyway. 

“Allison is looking for you,” he warned, knowing full well his brother already knew there’d be no real repercussions for his actions. Borrowing clothes was a welcome inconvenience to overdosing in the bathtub, after all.

“Aw, you’ll protect me, though, right?” Klaus laid down on the couch, propping his legs up on the back leisurely. 

“No,” he deadpanned, reaching over the counter. No one's had a chance to make coffee, yet, so water would have to do.

“Heartbreaking,” Klaus lamenting, and Five turned at the soft grunt that left him. Diego had smacked his feet down to sit as well, towel still around his shoulders. 

“Allison’s going to beat you up.” Five watched as Klaus dropped his feet right into Diego’s lap, and looked up to see his brother’s smug grin. Klaus was oblivious to the hard stares going on between his brothers. 

Five was going to have to raise the stakes, it seemed. 

Not today, though. Luther came in, looking at Klaus and Diego for a half a second too long before joining Five at the bar.

“We’re fixing the chandelier today. Could use your help.” The mess in the foyer had added character, though, or so Five had come to think. Dad would have hated it.

“Pass.” Luther was about to argue, or maybe plead, when heavy knocking sounded through the house.

“Klaus, go get the door.” Two pairs of eyes shot his way, Diego’s looking more frustrated than their kinder brother’s indignant ones.

“Since when am I the one who answers the door?” As offended as he was, Five could see the trace amount of hope in his face. It wasn’t much, but they’d asked _something_ of him.

“Since the rest of us decided you were.” The knocking persisted and Diego looked at Klaus expectantly, smiling.

“Ugh, fine!” He got off the couch, flipping Diego and Five off as he left. Five and Luther glanced at him briefly from the bar, Five slightly amused. 

“I like him better like this,” he said approvingly. Even though Klaus was certainly more of a grouch than he ever was high, Diego seemed inclined to agree. At least now they knew when he was being genuine. Five just liked the extra snark it added.

“Maybe Allison was right. Could be time we trust him.” So that’s what she’d wanted to discuss.

“Stop!” Three heads shot up, all of them shutting up fast. “You need to leave!” 

The sound of the door slamming shut rocked the whole floor, and the knocking came back much louder this time. They were standing near instantly. 

* * *

Klaus held the door shut, praying aloud something Five couldn’t quite hear. When they showed up he knew things were about to get awful just by the way he ignored them.

“Who’s out there,” Diego asked, and Klaus carefully stepped away from the door to keep him back.

“No one! Wrong house, the poor thing. Give it a tick and he’ll be gone.” The door shook violently, like someone had hit it. Five and Diego stepped towards it in unison, about to go around Klaus if not for him throwing his arms out to stop them.

“No! No, no, no, no! Don’t open it,” he pleaded, stepping as much in their ways as he could. Luther raised one eyebrow in a silent question at Five, who blinked past him, already reaching for the handle. “FIve, stop!”

Diego caught Klaus and spun him around, but Five hadn’t even bothered hesitating. He knew Klaus wouldn’t be able to stop him. The door opened to reveal a tall man with blonde hair, eyes furiously searching around before falling on Five. 

“Where is that little bitch?” He stepped around Five easily, not noticing the confusion on everyone’s faces. He was too busy finding and staring vehemently at Klaus. “You!”

“Conner, wait, I swear I-” Diego stopped the man a foot away with his hand on his chest. It didn’t keep ‘Conner’ from snarling at Klaus cowering behind him.

“Swear you didn’t what? Run away to hide behind your freak family?” Five closed the door, irritation flickering across his face as he examined this unthreatening intruder and circled around him. Allison came in, clearly concerned by the yelling and utterly confused about the man shouting at Klaus.

“What's going on here?” She was immediately as tense as the rest of them. Luther, with utter disappointment in his eyes, turned on Klaus for answers.  
“Is he a dealer?” There came no answer, though, because their favorite moronic brother was too busy shaking behind Diego’s back. He seemed torn between wanting to inch away and staying in his safe spot.

“Dealer? Is that what you told them, that I’m just some guy you score off of? What, you too ashamed to tell them what you really are?” Klaus made the mistake of flinching back, feet carrying him far enough away from Diego that Conner was able to dive past him and get his hands around his throat. Klaus hit the floor, the man on top of him angrily shouting obscenities. 

“Hey, hey, hey! Get off him,” Luther demanded, lifting him with one hand and tossing him. Klaus crawled away but didn’t bother standing back up. He didn’t have to. His siblings had formed a wall between him and this newly dubbed enemy. Allison stood directly in front of him, daring the man to try something.

“This is between me and him,” Conner snarled, picking himself up shakily. Once he was on his feet again he took a step towards them, eyes on his target. “Why don’t you call your freaks off and face me like a man, you little slut!”

Five was behind him all of a sudden and grabbed his shirt, yanking him back to meet his raised knee. He fell to the ground, gasping for air that wouldn’t come. 

“Try and choke him again, see what happens,” he ground out, kicking him for good measure.

“Klaus, who is this,” Diego demanded, turning enough to see his brother slumped against the wall, hiding or holding his throat. Five waited for an answer, gaze flickering to Conner a few times.

“Ex of mine,” he tried, voice not quite as light as he went for. “Left his place in a bit of a hurry few months before Dad passed. You know how it is.’

“I’m sorry, did you say _ex_?” Luther looked back at Klaus, but he was too busy ducking his head down and pulling his knees in front of him defensively. “You used to date this guy?”

“ _We never broke up_.” Conner was trying to sit up, hunched over and breathing like he’d lost a lung. “You don’t get to just walk off like that, you belong to me!”

“He doesn’t belong to anyone,” Allison said, voice much calmer than her increasingly disgusted face. They all glanced back at the sound of Klaus standing up.

“You need to leave,” he said, sounding very much like if he had to endure this a second longer he might die on the spot. As dramatic as he was, it seemed possible.

“I’m not going anywhere you whore,” Conner shouted, and everyone saw the way Five’s whole body tensed in fury. He dropped his hand into Conner’s well kept blonde hair, fingers curling into it and lifting him to his knees. 

“What did you just call my brother?” Maybe this man was an idiot, or maybe he just couldn’t see how dangerous every single person in the room was, but he laughed. Laughed right in the face of a killer.

“You think I’m afraid of you? I’ve been with Klaus long enough to know he’s useless. Those powers everyone was so impressed by on the tv are nothing,” he spit out. Five let him go, eyes turning murderous. “Look, he’s a lot to handle, right? I know how hard it is having him around, just give him to me and I’ll take him off your hands.”

“How about,” Diego called, pulling a knife from his belt, “we take your hands?”

“What?” He looked up, then, alarmed as Diego came closer with his intent clear on his face. 

“Wait,” Five demanded, looking back at Klaus. “What do you want us to do with him?”

“What do you mean _wait_? You heard what he just said, let's tear him apart!” Five ignored him, still looking at Klaus expectantly. 

“Can you-”

“You shut the fuck up, bitch,” Conner shouted, recieving a punch to the jaw and ending up on the floor. Five shook his hand, staring down the trash.

“I strongly suggest you keep your mouth shut, or I might just cut out your tongue.” Everyone had the distinct impression he would, too. 

“Can you throw him out? I just… Can you please just throw him out, I don’t want him here.” He seemed uncertain if he was allowed to ask that. He looked over at empty air, no doubt Ben, and shook his head in horror. “I’m not doing that! I just want him gone.”

“Throw him out? He just tried to choke you,” Allison argued, wrapping an arm around Klaus as he timidly joined them. 

“He can just get a bit adhament. He’s not like this all the time, probably just got drunk and came here looking for a fight. I shouldn’t have left like I did.” Five squinted at him like he was a child. Ironic.

“I meant what do you want us to do with him before we kill him! Obviously we aren’t going to let him go, you idiot.” As ridiculous as it was, Klaus looked terrified at that. 

“We can’t just not let him go!” He seemed to be the only one of that mindset. 

“Why not? We’ve killed people since we were kids, how is this different?” They were distracted, attention on Klaus rather than the piece of garbage rising to his feet with a wild look in his eyes.

“That was _different_ , those were thieves and murders, bad people! And I never killed a single one of them!” He was becoming distressed now, and Five took a step towards him, back turned on Conner when he reached into his pocket. Diego glanced up in time to see the gun in his hand.

“Look out!” Five was still turning as the shot rang out, aimed right for Klaus, but thanks to Diego it didn’t hit him in the heart where it’d been intended.

He was still knocked back to the floor, though, everyone erupting into movement around him. Luther threw himself into the fray, grabbing Conner and swinging him a good few feet away, wrenching the gun out of his hands. One of Diego’s knives flew through the air, but Five caught it and blinked behind Conner to sink it into his back. 

“Klaus!” He ripped the knife out and flipped it, looking back at his brother. Allison was moving him to safety while Vanya ran in, clearly having just put her violin down after hearing the gunshot. She still held her bow.

“What the hell is going on?” She looked down at Klaus and gasped, hands flying to hide her shock as the bow clattered to the floor. Five turned back to Conner.

“You come into our house,” he shouted, kicking out Conner’s legs as he bled. He grabbed the hand desperately reaching back to the wound, twisting it behind him while he slashed his throat. “Think you can just hurt my brother? You’re lucky you’ll be dead soon, or you’d spend the next twenty years in our basement tasting nothing but your own blood. Luther, stand on him until he bleeds out.” 

“Diego, get Mom,” Allison cried, holding Klaus as though he were dying. Five teleported next to them just to be sure he wasn’t. Klaus was pushing everyone’s hands away, squirming as if trying to get free. 

“Where did it get him,” he asked wildly, knocking his hands away and shoving Allison’s black cardigan off his shoulders. Blood was soaking into his Orange Beach shirt, spreading across his chest alarmingly. It was too high to’ve hit his heart, though. Thank fuck.

“Is he,” Klaus almost asked, question turning to a groan as Five pressed down on his bloody chest, stopping him from losing too much of his very vital blood.

“Luther? Is he dead, yet?” Five didn’t look for himself. He didn’t look away from his brother. Diego was pulling Mom in, explaining. She almost looked worried. Almost. 

“Soon.” Klaus stared up, mouth opening and closing like he was underwater. He was trying to say something, but the pressure Five had on him was too much. 

“Hey, you’re going to be fine, idiot. Look, Mom’s here.” Five moved to sit by his head. 

“Oh dearie, look at you,” she cooed sympathetically. 

“I didn’t mean to get him killed,” Klaus said, and Five blanched at the tears in his eyes.

“What happened,” Vanya asked him quietly. He shook his head, holding his hand up to let her know he’d explain later.  
“Ugh God, Ben, don’t!” Klaus shut his eyes, hand coming up to flail around for something. When it found Five’s jacket he caught it and held tight. Five allowed it.

“He’s dead,” Luther announced, causing Klaus even more stress. While he made a noise much like a cry, Luther came over to help. Klaus wouldn’t open his eyes.

“Well, we’ll need to take that bullet out!” There was no excitement in Mother’s voice, for once.

“I can carry him,” Luther volunteered. Allison moved aside, but Five was stuck. The hand twisted in his jacket didn’t want to let go, clearly. “Just-uh- let me through here.” 

Either the sobbing or the writhing made him pause, looking at Five for some kind of help. He sighed, reaching down and pulling his jacket free. He substituted his hand instead, and Klaus held it tightly.

“Pick him up. Carefully.”

* * *

Red. So much red. The leaves outside Klaus’ window, the curtains hanging over them, the scarf tied to the mirror as some sort of ornament. The bandages wrapped securely under his arm and over his shoulder...

He was patient for maybe the first time in his life, waiting for Klaus to wake up, but the whole time since he came in to sit with him his eyes were drawn to the red. Klaus’ whole room was laid out like a scene for him.

Five hated red.

After the day they’d had, his brother deserved a little rest, though. Five could deal with a little discomfort, welcome it even, if it meant the second Klaus’ eyes opened he was here to show him everything was alright. Five continued to sit on the windowsill, as close to his brother as he could be without moving him to sit on the bed.

“What do we do with the body?” Despite the trace curiosity Five had as to what Luther thought of this whole thing, he spared him just a glance. Diego was sitting in a chair pulled against the wall, and Allison kept poking her head in after pacing the halls and stairs outside. Luther seemed to prefer standing.

“We’ll take it out tonight.” Dispose of it with the rest of the trash, maybe. Even if the man had attacked Klaus in their own home and certain laws protected them, no one was eager to invite the cops into this house or case.

“You have to bury him,” Klaus whispered, the first and only sign they got that he was awake. 

“Klaus! You’re up!” Five nearly snorted. What an astute observation. Luther’s voice woke Diego, who pretended he hadn't been dozing off. Five was standing already, leaning over his brother.

“Conner,” he tried, carefully rolling his head until he found Five. There was a whole new brand of fear in his eyes. 

“He’s dead,” he assured him. Anything to get rid of that fear. Instead, Klaus’s face seemed to almost break.

“You have to- argh,” he pressed his head back into his pillow. 

“How bad is it?” Five was already close enough to see the pain in every twitch, but if Klaus could quantify it, that might help. He could… he could give him something, maybe. 

“You have to bury him far away.” He shut his eyes, face scrunching up like it used to when they were kids and he’d been pinned during training. “Bury him…”

“Is he still here,” Luther asked while uncomfortably looking around the room. Ashamedly, Five hadn’t even considered that. 

“Not yet.” An ominous answer, but not as ominous as the way Klaus’ eyes drifted to open air to stare at nothing. 

“We’ll take his body into the woods, then.” Luther agreed and it put a small amount of ease back into Klaus’ body. Five breathed a little easier after that himself.

“He’s awake?” Five straightened at Allison’s voice, realizing he was just about to check under the bandages and dropping his hand. Better not to cause more pain than digging out the fragments had already. 

Vanya was behind her, and both came to look down on their brother. Diego beat them by just a hair.

“Well if it isn’t my favorite avenging brother,” Klaus cooed, no real energy behind his words. As confused as Diego was, Luther found it quite hilarious.

“Actually, Five did all the- uh- avenging. Didn’t even let anyone else get a good hit in.” Diego seemed the most annoyed about this.

“Really?” The look Klaus gave him wasn’t smug, but Five could tell he was about to say something stupid.

“I’d do it again.” It was enough to stall whatever he’d been thinking, and it gave Vanya time to thrust a small blue plushy into Klaus’ curled arm.

“Here! Found it in your room.” Allison rested her head on Vanya’s shoulder, patting Klaus on the cheek. Both of them were being foolishly sympathetic. 

“Now what did I do to deserve such a thoughtful sister,” he joked, holding the blue rhino close to his unbandaged side despite the humor in his voice. Five hadn’t considered such a pointless gesture would bring him joy. He should have thought of that.

“Klaus, are you okay?” Allison’s tone was so different that everyone looked at their brother to be sure he hadn’t caught it.

“Well, Mom gave me _something_ to knock me out while they worked out at least, and I think it’s still wearing off. I’ve had worse, I can handle this.” He could so easily justify using narcotics right now. Five almost wanted to encourage it, if it would help. Wasn’t up to him, though, and it was a good sign at least.

“I mean after seeing that guy. He called you some pretty terrible things.” Dirty things. Diego hid his sneer carefully so only Klaus couldn’t see it.

“Oh I’ve been called far more terrible things, I can assure you. Conner just doesn’t- just never knew how to use his words.” A shiver ran up Allison’s arm, Five noticed.

“Klaus, did he treat you like that before you left?” The question was a dangerous one, but he knew Diego had to ask. 

“Oh heavens no! Real peach, that man,” he said sweetly, lying entirely. They knew, then. 

“He hit you, didn’t he,” Luther asked, and Allison gave him a sharp glare. That was more than dangerous, and by the way Klaus shut down, was too far.

“It was… It wasn’t an easy relationship. I skipped out a lot. Was before I checked into that shit rehab downtown.” Five hadn’t known he’d been in a rehab center.

“And that gave him a right to do this to you? He almost killed you, Klaus,” Five growled, hoping his words would make their way into this idiot’s brain and actually stick for once.

“He was very sweet when he didn’t want anything. All in the past, though, right? I think I’m going to go back to sleep now.” That wasn’t _really_ an answer, but Five knew the truth nonetheless as his brother curled onto his side. He knew, and he was _furious_.

“I’m sorry,” Vanya whispered, her hand resting so gently on his arm. 

“No need to be.” They’d upset him. He wasn’t going to sleep, not really, but he clearly wanted space now. His tone had turned clipped, and his hands were tensed so bad they shook.

Despite the difficulty in leaving him on his own, they all gave him just that.

* * *

“Why didn’t you tell them?” Ben was trying to grab Klaus’ hand, but to no avail. While Klaus slept he’d stood guard, occasionally looking out the door and down the hall. He wasn’t going to let Conner get the jump on him, if the pathetic excuse of a man even came back.

“Why would I? He’s dead, end of story.” There’d been a lot of yelling from Ben the moment Conner showed up at the door. Yelling to go get help, yelling when help arrived, a lot of yelling when Conner tackled him. Suggesting they throw him out had really got him started, though.

“Oh I don’t know, maybe because the last time you ran into him you ended up od’ing!” Ben wasn’t wrong, but he’d rather not think back on that. Thirty days sober, not even a day out on his own, and Conner had pushed him off the wagon.

“Well, no more of that! I’m as painfully sober as you’d like.” He sat up, then, hand clasped over his chest. “Not that I chose to go clean.”

“You chose to stay clean, though.” All this fighting was making his chest hurt. Or maybe that was the moving when he was certain someone had told him not to?

“Where is everyone?” Outside the sun was setting, and no one had walked by his open door in a while. 

“They’re wrapping the body up in Dad’s rug to drive it away from here.” Klaus perked up.

“Well I have to be there for that,” he exclaimed, starting to stand shakily. A shadow at his door stopped him. 

“Klaus, get down,” Ben demanded, stepping in front of him. Horribly confused, Klaus looked around him. His hands grew cold. Every part of the room grew cold, actually. 

“Oh yes,” Conner snapped, looking every part a vengeful spirit with his bloody throat and furious eyes. “Be a good little boy and lay down.”


	2. Chapter 2

“I’m going to stay and keep an eye on him,” Allison said, watching Luther haul the corpse over his shoulder out the door. Her and Five had been discussing what to do with Klaus and this new information. Neither were in agreement just yet.

“Don’t let him go anywhere, and try and keep him in bed, or at least his room.” He’d stay himself if he wasn’t certain his siblings would somehow botch a body dump. 

“Five, I get it! I’ll watch him carefully, you don’t have to worry.” He largely disagreed, but fine. At least he knew Klaus would most likely be safe in the Academy.

“Just leave it until we can all discuss this together. He needs time to heal before anything else. Don’t bring up Conner unless he asks first.” At least they both agreed on that.

“All right. Be careful, and let Diego do the driving. If you get pulled over with a body in the back even Diego’s connections won’t save you.” Diego didn’t deny it. Honesty Five was starting to think he was the only other one who could drive.

“We won’t be gone long.” Five turned, already jumping out the door that Diego and Vanya had closed behind them.

* * *

Ben didn’t disappear for long. Conner had taken one step closer and he was back, grabbing him by the arm and swinging him out the door. Klaus stayed backed into the corner of his bed and the wall. 

“Stay here,” Ben told him, before stalking off towards the angry shouting from outside. Klaus crawled back into the bed, lungs feeling like they’d collapse with each sharp breath. His hand brushed against the old plushy Vanya had given him and he scooped it up, keeping it tucked safely under his arm. 

The sounds coming from outside were too hard to understand, giving him no comfort or reassurance. Whoever was winning, they were winning by a whole lot. But you can’t kill a ghost. Ben could pummel him, but it wouldn’t hurt him or destroy him. Just inconvenience him for a short time. 

This was what Klaus had been afraid of. Other people, they could kill anyone they wanted and not suffer the consequences like him. If he ended someone’s life, it’d just be added certainty that they’d never leave him alone. 

Was this his life now? Having that prick tower over him every waking second. Yelling at him, hitting him,  _ touching- _

_ He can’t touch you. He can’t touch you. He can’t touch you. _

He caught sight of the Horror, for a brief moment. It caught the door, which swung shut, and the sound echoed around the room thunderously. When Klaus heard past it he wasn’t sure just who was screaming. He heard walking, though. In a panic he started moving away, towards the farthest wall. It was probably Ben. It had to be Ben.

The door swung open and he fell back, toppling clean off the bed and dragging his blanket and half the sheets with. 

He was pretty sure he blacked out for a moment. 

When Allison returned to the room she expected to find her brother asleep. Taking into consideration his earlier behavior, she hadn’t wanted to stand over him or smother him, so she’d been cleaning up the mess downstairs. She didn’t think she’d find Klaus gone. 

“Hello?” Her first instinct was to call Five and everyone else back to the house immediately, but they’d left almost an hour ago. When she approached the bed and saw the blanket pulled over the side she pushed that urge down. They were handling the body, she could handle one brother. “Klaus are you okay?”

He was curled in on himself, shaking violently against the floor. “Okay” was not how she’d describe him. 

“My God! Klaus, how- what’s wrong?” He didn’t react when she touched him, didn’t even stop shaking. His skin was cold under her hand. She’d never quite liked how cold he was, but this was somehow worse.

“Mom! I need some help in here!” She grabbed for her phone, Vanya’s number repeating in her head, only to find it completely dead. The screen cracked under her fingertips, making her yelp. Had Klaus done that?

“What’s going on in here,” Grace asked, seeming to softly float in. The same broken expression crossed her face as she took in Klaus on the floor.

“What’s wrong with him,” Allison asked, trying to turn him onto his back to sit him up. 

“No! No, no, no! Leave me alone,” he screamed, cried, and she fell back from him, shocked. His hands still covered his face completely, and she wondered if he was mistaking her for someone else. 

“Klaus! Klaus, it’s me!” She had to grab his wrists, drag them far enough down for him to see her face. It was easy enough to pull his hands away, he wasn’t as strong as he looked. Which… okay, he didn’t even look very strong, so that’s really saying something.

“Allison?” He calmed down, able to draw himself up onto his arms. At his blatant confusion she realized he may not realize what was going on any more than she did.

“Yes. It’s just me, Klaus. Are you alright?” Klaus sat up, looking around the room in blatant terror. He whipped his head around to look beside him, and then back at the rest of the room.

“He was here! He was just here,” he yelled, arm snaking around hers for support.

“Who was here?” A shiver went down her spine, the pure fright at the thought of someone standing just behind her that she couldn’t see. It was one thing that always alarmed her about Klaus’ power when they were kids.

“Conner! He was right here! He and Ben-” Klaus reached up to grab the bed, wincing when he tried to pull himself up. 

“Here, let me help you,” she offered, dragging him up by his other arm. “Is he still here? Conner, I mean.”

“No. No, he’s gone. Ben must have scared him off.” He didn’t exactly sound sure of himself. He was still watching the doorway, desperately hopeful. “He shut the door, and I heard screaming. I- wow, I think I actually fainted.”

“Okay… Okay, let’s just. Come on, lay back down. I’ll stay right here.” She fluffed his pillow, smiling warmly at him as he skittishly glanced between her and back at the door. “I’m here now.”

“What if he comes back before Ben?” Okay, so she can’t stop a ghost. Admittedly, if Conner did show up, she wouldn’t even know, let alone begin to stop him. But that wasn’t going to stop her from trying.

“I won’t let anything hurt you. Try and close your eyes, okay? Close your eyes and I’ll stay right here until Ben is back. You’re still hurt, remember?” While he shut his eyes, drawing the blanket over his face, Allison was already pulling her picking her phone up. It could still work again after she charged it, but…

“Mom, is there a phone I can use here?” 

* * *

Five turned away from the flames when a ring sounded behind him. He relaxed when Vanya pulled her phone out, looking at the screen suspiciously. Realization sparked in her eyes and whoever it was she answered immediately. That alone piqued his interest. 

“Allison? Is everything alright?” An update on Klaus, then.  _ Alright, no reason to panic just yet _ , he told himself. Everyone’s feeling a bit overprotective right now, could just be that Allison thought they should know Klaus was back to his usual self. 

Five didn’t like how Vanya held the phone tighter as she listened, or how her eyes grew fearful, lips parting to speak but not daring to interrupt. Even though he hoped, he knew it wasn’t just a status update. Not the kind they wanted, anyway.

“We’re on our way,” she whispered, drawing Diego and Luther’s attention as well. She lowered the phone, coming back to them. “I think we need to get back home now. Allison said Conner appeared to Klaus.” 

“What,” Diego asked quietly, stepping away from the fire. Well, Five thought to himself, looks like we’re skipping burning and jumping straight to burying. He was already kicking dirt over the flames. 

* * *

Despite Allison’s warning, Five drove on the way back. He simply didn’t want to waste time abiding road laws, and something told him Diego would. He needed to be back at the Academy, and the sooner the better.

Luckily no one complained, because he was so wound up he may have snapped if they tried. Vanya was perhaps the only one who seemed to be more in a hurry than him, going as far to press Five to go faster. 

Luther and Diego dove out their backseat doors upon stopping, but Five still beat all of them to the door. They ran all the way upstairs, pushing and shoving each other just like when they were kids, until they reached Klaus’ bedroom.

Neither he or Allison were there. Luther walked in anyway, confused.

“Klaus?” They looked around, just to be sure. All the bedrooms were empty, quiet. “Allison?”

“Down here,” Five heard. He ducked past Luther and made for the stairs, hearing everyone follow after him. He wasn’t sure if they’d actually heard Allison or were just that trusting. 

He found them past the foyer on the first floor. Klaus was on the couch and Allison stood over him, guarding him but waiting for them. 

“What happened, is he okay,” Diego asked, sliding over the couch and touching Klaus’ face. He looked up, eyes too void for Five’s liking.

“He’s been like this since I found him. I brought him down here thinking it’d help.” She moved closer, letting Diego hang over Klaus while she herded them away. “He keeps saying Ben’s still gone.”

“What, like his ghost?” Vanya looked around before turning somewhat red. It isn’t like any of them would be able to  _ see  _ if Ben was here. 

“Yeah. From what I can gather, the moment Conner appeared Ben attacked him.” Five nodded and gently, or gently in  _ his  _ book, moved her aside to see Klaus better.

“I’m sorry,” he started, crouching to his brother’s eye level. “I would have killed him somewhere else if I’d been thinking straight.” 

“Place doesn’t matter.” Klaus tried to sit up, only to have five different pairs of hands lunge for him. Five helped him after he looked at them bizarrely. It was instinctive, the need to take care of him. 

The only chairs were at the bar, so Luther dragged one over to sit while Diego and Five sandwiched Klaus on the couch. Five was just about to ask how to get rid of a ghost when his brother’s face lit up considerably.

“Ben!” His hand came up, fingertips falling short of nothing and lowering to his lap. “Where’d you go?”

“Is Conner back,” Allison asked, quietly in case she was interrupting their deceased brother.

“No, he’s- Ben, what are talking about?” He blinked, and then fell back into the cushions. “How?”

“What’s he saying,” Diego asked, glancing at the air and floor and then back at his brother. 

“I’m saying I forced that abusive prick to go where he belongs,” Ben said. Five jerked his head up, finding the very visible, very angry, form of their lost brother. He looked at all of them, then at himself. “Oh shit! Klaus, look!”

“What,” Klaus started, raising his head until he noticed they were all staring in shock. “Oh… Oh, I forgot I could do that.”

“Ben,” Diego whispered, standing up and reaching out. When his hand stopped, actually stopped, on Ben’s shoulder he let out a short laugh. They embraced, Diego looking desperately like he wanted to cry. 

“How are you doing this,” Allison asked, resting her hand on Ben’s arm when Diego finally pulled away. 

“This is all Klaus actually. He’s been working really hard these past few days.” Speaking of Klaus, Ben sidestepped everyone to get on his knees before their trembling brother to hold him steady. “It’s okay now. I scared him, told him if he didn’t didn’t move on now then they’d send demons to collect his soul. After I beat the ever loving crap out of him.”

“Ben,” Klaus sobbed, actually sobbed, and Five realized this was a pretty important moment for him, too. 

“So we can see you now? We’ll be able to talk to you?” Diego looked so hopeful. Five didn’t want to be foolish enough to hope for something like that and then get hurt.

“Not always. He’s only made me this physical once before. I’m not even sure how Klaus has the energy to tether me right now when it usually takes so much out of him.” Klaus looked fine, actually. Well, he looked shaken up and maybe a little traumatized, and they’d have to touch on that at  _ some point,  _ but he looked happy. “Look, we can discuss all that later. In fact, there’s a lot I’ll have to discuss with each of you later, but right now Klaus needs us.”

“Yes,” Five said, still sitting next to their mess of a brother. “Not that I’m not happy to see you Ben, but I would like to know just where Conner is. You said he’s where he belongs, does that mean…”

“Hell, I’m sure. Trust me that piece of shit wasn’t getting any bright light.” Well, that was a small comfort for now, then. 

“Then Klaus is safe?” Luther relaxed at this, but he didn’t quite lose the tension in his shoulders. Maybe he was still struggling with the whole dead-brother-standing-right-in-front-of-him bit. 

“He’s safe now.” Ben’s face turned to disgust, anger. “Conner should have paid a long time ago.”

“I couldn’t just go and kill him,” Klaus said, almost pleadingly, and Ben calmed down. 

“ _ No _ , I didn’t mean- I know you couldn’t, I just mean I wish he’d been taken care of sooner, so that it never came to this.” Guiltily, Ben let go and stood up. “For the things he’s done he deserved far worse than what he got.”

“Right,” Luther started awkwardly. Klaus looked up, waiting. “You wanna tell us what happened with that guy anyway?”

“Why didn’t you come to us for help,” Diego asked, shoving Luther, almost out of his bar stool, and shaking his head disappointingly. Luther may genuinely still be confused about the whole Klaus being in a relationship part, but everyone had painted their own picture by now. Violent pictures. 

“Well I went into rehab! No phones allowed there and he’s never once tried reaching me until now. I didn’t think he was actually that invested in me.” Whatever point he thought he’d made, none of them could see.

“I mean before that. When you were with him, why didn’t you tell us you were in trouble.” Diego didn’t say it, but Five could see he was really asking why Klaus didn’t come to  _ him _ . Diego really did see himself as everyone’s personal protector. 

“Maybe it’s a little more complicated than that,” he seethed, wrapping his arm around Klaus. He barely acknowledged Five’s proximity. “Give him a chance to explain.”

“No, I- there’s nothing to explain! I didn’t  _ need _ help.” He’d turned defensive already. Ben just looked at him pointedly. If the sensible one disagreed with him Five was concerned.

“You were being abused. I think you could have used a little help.” Allison had said it so softly, like explaining such a simple concept might be too much. After the childhood they’d had it wasn’t too much, but it still hurt. It still  _ should _ be too much.

“Oh, don’t say it like that! I was hardly defenseless against him,” he argued, sitting up and holding his chest. Five was ready to stop him if he tried to stand, but instead he just sat, taking deep breaths. “I left him because our relationship was just too strained. Is that not all there is to say on the whole thing?”

“Strained is not how I’d describe it,” Ben said, but he didn’t elaborate. 

“He came into our home and shot you! What happened that he was that angry with you?” Five noticed his hand twitching, eyes bouncing between all of them desperately. Diego had almost forgotten this wasn’t an interrogation, it was them finally taking a closer look at their brother. “When was the last time you saw him?”

“Does it matter!?” They, Five mostly, thought so.   
“It matters, Klaus! It matters, because today you almost ended up  _ dead _ . You could have  _ died _ and I would have to bury you!” Although they’d had similar conversations in the past, the recent past, Five’s words were the point that pushed him over.

“Fine! I saw him the day dear old dad died, alright? We got into a fight, there was some very unattractive punching, I pushed him and ran. Ran all the way back here. Is that what you want to hear?” Ben winced, standing up and looking down at Klaus in desperation.

“Klaus… don’t lie.” The both of them had clearly forgotten he was here, and visible, because the way he looked at Ben was with so much surprise. And then betrayal.

“That part isn’t important.” Okay, ignoring the fact that Klaus was lying, Ben was clearly taking the initiative and Five was grateful.   
“Ben, if Klaus lies again would you be willing to tell us everything he’s ever tried to hide. All the times he’s lied, kept stuff from us, ran off.” The absolute fear in Klaus’ face was only barely worth the incentive it gave him to tell the truth.

“No! Ben, don’t you dare!” Ben, while conflicted, seemed inclined to side with Five on this one.

“Tell them what really happened the last time you ran into Conner. Tell them why he was so angry. They’ll help you, Klaus, I promise.” Allison and Vanya, with completely different levels of certainty, nodded.

“It’s all in the past,” he stressed, waving his hand at them dramatically. “What can you possibly do to help me now?”

“Understand you,” Vanya offered.

“Find everyone who’s ever wronged you and hurt them,” Five said, voice calm despite his unhinged expression.

“Fucking- fine! But I promise you there’s nothing you can do that’ll make it better.” Maybe not, but Five wasn’t going to relent and no one else seemed likely to either.

“Tell us,” Diego commanded. 

“He ruined my thirty day sobriety.” Klaus’ whisper, barely heard even though Five was sitting right next to him, was full of pain.

“What,” Allison asked, coming closer and kneeling by him.

“I had just been released from the rehab center. Thirty days, clean and sober. It was mandatory after I got picked up, but I… I wasn’t looking to score. I ran into Conner just by chance, or he ran into me, I don’t know.” Klaus sniffled, wrapping himself around his knees tightly. “He tried to get me to go home with him, work things out. I told him no, obviously, but I left some stuff over at his apartment and I was stupid enough to think he’d let me come by and collect it freely.” 

“Did he hurt you,” Diego asked, getting elbowed by Allison.

“He tried to give me pills. Said I’d feel more like myself if I took them. I refuse, he shoves them down my throat and almost chokes me, I hit him and run, end scene.” Ben coughed, politely reminding Klaus that he was supposed to be telling them  _ everything _ . “Oh right, then I OD'd in the street and goodbye sober chip.”

Diego shut his eyes, looking all too familiar with the word. Five, on the other hand, felt anger like never before.

“He forced drugs into you,” he asked, just to clarify for his own sanity. “That fucking prick! I should have ripped his throat out!”

“You were clean the day dad died,” Allison asked, and credit where it’s due she actually looked more sad than anything. At least some of them made it out without anger issues.

“Still had my shiny chip and everything.” Klaus sighed, falling back to curl into the couch. He became so small, so  _ breakable _ . Five took a breath, relaxing his hands.

“I’m sorry,” Luther said, and Five turned to look at him in very blatant confusion.

“It’s fine. I don’t think any of you would’ve been much help back then.” AKA, don’t feel bad for me or yourselves, please. “Besides, you were on the moon this entire time.”

“But I wasn’t,” Diego interjected, and he lifted Klaus’ legs to sit down. “I’m sorry he happened to you.”

“I’m hardly broken up about it,” he promised, relaxing into Diego’s lap. Five leaned back and let Klaus lay fully on them both, pulling Klaus down. 

“You were not too long ago,” Vanya reminded him, and Five remember Klaus, slumped over in the bathtub after popping who knows how many pills. He’d been an awful sight, then, in horrible condition. Now, with his head Five’s lap, he almost looked as healthy as he did when they were kids.

“Yes, well… I’m over it.” He didn’t sound over it. He did sound tired, though. Which might have been why Ben suddenly disappeared. Diego looked around, disappointed, but stayed put.

“It’s been a long day, why don’t you get some rest,” Allison offered, sitting on the side of the couch closer to his head to run her hand through his hair. Klaus started to move but Five caught him, keeping him down.

“He’s good here.” He got some looks, mostly from Vanya and Luther, but they didn’t say anything.

“I might fall asleep on you,” Klaus warned, turning and tucking his face into Five’s shirt. If the touch came from anyone other than family, he may just hate it. But instead, as Klaus took a small breath and relaxed, Five finally felt like he was home. And all it took was over forty traumatic years for himself and seventeen traumatic years for his family.

“Go ahead. We’re not going anywhere,” Five said, using him as a hand rest. Vanya pulled the quilt Mom had made down and covered Klaus with it carefully, giving Five a nod and patting Diego on the shoulder before leaving. 

When it was just Five, Diego, and an already sleeping Klaus, Five figured he may as well sleep as well.

“I still say I’m the best brother,” Diego said, a sly smile slipping onto his face and through his voice. Five’s eyes never opened faster, argument already forming on his tongue and ready to be spat out.


End file.
